A new Test & Trace Support Payment system has been introduced, encouraging people on low income who have been forced to self-isolate to claim extra help.
The £500 support payment can be claimed from Monday (12 October) by submitting a form on Leicester city council’s website.
To be eligible to claim, you must be either employed or self-employed and on low income. You can also claim the payment if you are told to self-isolate and as a result, your income takes a hit by staying at home.
Under new rules, anyone who receives a positive Covid-19 test or is told to self-isolate by the NHS Test & Trace Service, must self-isolate by law. Anyone failing to self-isolate when they are required to do so could face fines between £1,000 and £10,000.
The support payments will help people on low income to self-isolate when required without having to worry about their finances.
Anyone who meets the criteria and who started to self-isolate from 28 September will be able to claim a backdated payment.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Self-isolating is one of the best tools we have for stopping the spread of coronavirus, so it’s really important that people stay at home when they’re told to do so.”
“But for many people, two weeks off work without pay could lead to serious financial hardship.”
“If you’re on a low income and you’re asked to self-isolate, you may be entitled to this new support payment.”
“If you’ve had a positive test result, or you’ve been told to self-isolate by the test & trace service and you think you might be eligible for support, please go to our website and complete the online form.”
Leicester City Council has set up the self-isolation support scheme on behalf of the Government.
For more information, and details of how to claim, please go to www.leicester.gov.uk
Information on how to help those who are unable to make an online claim is also provided.